Penelope albipennis
The White-winged Guan (Penelope albipennis) is a truly remarkable and critically endangered bird, often referred to as a "Lazarus species" due to its rediscovery after being presumed extinct for nearly a century. This elegant cracid measures approximately 70-75 cm (27-30 in) in length and weighs about 2 kg (4.4 lbs), characterized by its striking blackish-brown plumage, prominently contrasted by brilliant white primary and secondary flight feathers—a diagnostic field mark from which it derive...
This highly specialized guan inhabits arid deciduous forests, thorny scrublands, and the rugged, inaccessible ravines of northwestern Peru, typically found at elevations between 300 and 1300 meters (980-4260 feet).
Primarily frugivorous and folivorous, the White-winged Guan feeds on a variety of fruits, leaves, flowers, and seeds, foraging by plucking items directly from trees and shrubs.
White-winged Guans are largely arboreal and diurnal, spending most of their time foraging and roosting within the canopy and understory of their dry forest habitat. They are typically observed alone or in small family groups of 2-5 individuals, suggesting a relatively monogamous breeding system. ...
The White-winged Guan is strictly endemic to a narrow, discontinuous strip of dry forest along the Pacific slope of the Andes in northwestern Peru. Its current range is restricted to small, fragmented populations primarily within the departments of Lambayeque, Cajamarca, and Piura. This species i...
Critically Endangered
- The White-winged Guan was presumed extinct for nearly a century (from 1877 to 1977) before its rediscovery, earning it the nickname "Lazarus species. - It is endemic to a very small and fragmented region of dry forest in northwestern Peru, making it one of the most geographically restricted bir...